Summit Group operates at the intersection of global energy technology and Bangladesh’s developing economy, creating unique human resource challenges. The company’s response—international training programs and systematic knowledge transfer—has developed a workforce capable of managing complex infrastructure despite limited local industry precedent.
“We have monthly and yearly training regimes that started six or seven years ago, and we regularly train our operational people,” explains Sayedul Alam[1] , managing director of Summit LNG Terminal Company. “Sometimes we send them abroad to France, Singapore, Malaysia, and other countries for continuous improvement of operations.”
Recruiting and Retraining Maritime Expertise
Summit recruits experienced ship captains and marine engineers, then retrains them for floating terminal operations. The company maintains what Alam describes as “a very good pool of people who are all ex-mariners, either captain or engineers” with decades of professional experience.
“Bangladesh has a good number of mariners who have good LNG experience working outside the country in places like Japan and Singapore,” Alam notes, “but they don’t have specific knowledge about FSRUs or onshore terminal management.”
The distinction between sailing vessel experience and terminal operations creates training requirements. “There are a good number of people who are marine engineers and master mariners, and they have been working with the LNGC vessel. They are basically sailing-vessels, but they really don’t have experience operating a terminal. It’s a different ball game,” says Alam
International Training Programs
Summit sends personnel to multiple countries for operational training.
Training programs in France, Singapore, Malaysia and other countries support what Alam calls “continuous improvement of operations. We have to continuously improve ourselves to remain competitive with the other stakeholders or other industry practices as well.”
Engineering Workforce Development
Summit Power Limited maintains a substantial engineering workforce.
“Summit Power Limited[2] is the employer of the highest number of engineers in the private sector of Bangladesh,” according to Monirul Akhand, managing director of Summit Power Limited.
“We have a very good pool of energy experts in Bangladesh right now,” Akhand notes, while acknowledging that specific technical areas require development.
Local Industry Limitations
The absence of local offshore industry creates operational challenges and training requirements.
“Though we have two FSRU terminals in Bangladesh, unfortunately this local offshore industry has not developed in Bangladesh,” Alam explains.
“For support, we need to go abroad, we need to go to the nearest country like Singapore or Thailand for any supposed contract or hire the offshore divers or DSV vessel dynamics, positioning vessel, all these types of vessels we don’t have available in Bangladesh,” he continues.
This gap affects costs. “Our maintenance cost becomes very high, where it sometimes becomes five to 10 times more than if this asset could have been obtained from the local market,” Alam says.
Partnership-Driven Knowledge Exchange
Summit Power Limited’s international partnerships create bidirectional learning opportunities that extend beyond capital investment into operational expertise development. The company’s joint ventures demonstrate how foreign direct investment can facilitate technology transfer[3] and professional development across both organizations.
The Mitsubishi Corporation partnership in Summit LNG exemplifies this mutual learning approach. “It was a good opportunity for Mitsubishi also to learn about the FSRU and LNG business, and on the other hand, we have also been exposed to them and to the international arena,” says Alam.
“We share the technical know-how with each other and that’s why we benefit,” he continues
Workforce Development Recommendations
Summit executives point to the need for systematic workforce development policies.
“For the next generation, it’ll be a good move if people align their education with LNG infrastructure development[4] or offshore terminal operation development and all these aspects, because they’re still lacking behind in Bangladesh in terms of skill development,” Alam suggests.
He advocates for government involvement: “The government should take initiative and make appropriate policies for manpower development to handle this type of critical industry.”
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References
- ^ explains Sayedul Alam (sg.linkedin.com)
- ^ Summit Power Limited (dataconomy.com)
- ^ foreign direct investment can facilitate technology transfer (www.ibtimes.co.uk)
- ^ LNG infrastructure development (techround.co.uk)